Drop foot brace



Aug. 19, 1958 A. ANDREWS DROP FOOT BRACE Filed Aug. 5, 1955 FIG. 2

FIG. I

IN VEN TOR. ADA M ANDREWS WW ATTOR EY FIG.3

United States Patent DROP FOOT BRACE Adam Andrews, McDonald, Ohio Application August 5, 1955, Serial No. 526,728

Claims. (Cl. 128-80) This invention relates to a drop toe and ankle support brace and more particularly to a lightweight flexible brace which may be worn under a stocking and with a conventional shoe to properly support the foot.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a lightweight flexible drop foot brace.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a drop foot brace incorporating an arch support and heel support and an ankle support in a flexible lightweight structure.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a drop toe and ankle support brace in which an arch support and an ankle support are flexibly connected by a flexible heel support member and in which fasteners are provided for securing the arch support, ankle support and heel support in fixed position on the foot and ankle.

The drop foot brace disclosed herein is intended for use by individuals having certain irregularities of the feet and ankles which make walking difficult, if not impossible. Among such difliculties wherein the brace is particularly helpful are the so-called drop toe and weakened arch conditions as well as the conditions affecting the ankles and rendering the same uncertain.

It has heretofore been proposed to use rigid braces under the arches and about the foot for the arch and drop toe conditions and to use rigid or hinged structures for directional flexing of the ankle but securing the same against other movement.

Such braces as have heretofore been proposed have been cumbersome, uncomfortable and incapable of being worn without orthopedic shoes or the like. More importantly, they failed to provide the degree of flexibility necessary between the ankle and the foot to permit more or less normal walking.

The drop toe and ankle support brace disclosed herein combines in a single structure means for supporting the arch and foot and holding the same in a position to offset the drop toe malformation and at the same time support the foot and ankle while permitting considerable flexibility both forwardly and laterally to permit more or less normal walking.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure,, which do not constitute departures from the function and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the metallic structure of the brace.

Figure 2 is a back view of the metallic structure of the brace.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the brace showing the completed brace including fasteners therefor.

By referring to the drawings, a brace will be seen to comprise an arch support plate 10 having a flexible spring strip 11 secured thereto preferably longitudinally thereof and upturned with respect thereto and terminating at its upper end in a U-shaped section forming an ankle support 12 lying on a spaced parallel plane with respect to the transverse plane of the arch support plate 10.

The spring strip 11 is bowed outwardly as at 13 near its lower end and point of junction with the arch support plate 10 and bowed inwardly in the area thereabove as indicated by the numeral 14.

The arch support plate 10 is shaped to conform to the bottom of the foot of the wearer and may be and preferably is provided with a pad of foam rubber 15, as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings. The entire arch support plate 10, spring strip 11 and ankle support 12 are covered with leather or similar material, as shown at 16 in Figure 3 of the drawings, and fastening straps 1'7 and 18 are secured to the forward portions of the ankle support 12 and are provided with separable fasteners 19-19 so that the ankle support 12 of the brace may be secured about the ankle of the wearer.

The leather 16 is slotted as at 20 midway between the ankle support 12 and the plate 10 and a figure eight strap 21 is threaded through the opening and extends forwardly and around the upper surface of the foot of the wearer when disposed on the arch support plate it) with the respective ends of the figure eight strap crossing one another over the instep of the wearers foot and secured to the forward portion of the arch support plate 10 and the leather 16 thereon as at 22-22.

An elastic foot strap 23 is also secured at its ends to the arch support plate 10 and the leather 16 thereover in the area of the ends 22-22 of the figure eight strap 21 and extends transversely across and above the arch support plate 10. The figure eight strap 21 is separated at one of its side sections and provided with separable fasteners 2424.

An elastic strap 25 is secured at its ends to the opposite sides of the arch support platform 10 at either side of the heel portion thereof and extends upwardly and over the foot of the wearer and is separated intermediate its ends and provided with separable fasteners 2626.

It will thus be seen that when the foot of the wearer is positioned on the arch support plate 10 with the toes of the wearer beneath the elastic toe strap 23 and the figure eight strap 21 and the heel strap 25 secured across the instep of the wearers foot and the straps l7 and 18 are joined around the ankle of the wearer, the brace is held in proper position with respect to the foot, heel and ankle of the wearer and in such position it properly supports and relieves the drop toe condition and at the same time contributes the necessary support to the ankle to permit the person wearing the brace to walk normally.

It will occur to those skilled in the art that the device is of lightweight compact construction and design and is, therefore, capable of being applied to the wearers foot and a stocking and conventional shoe worn thereover. The arch support plate 10 is so arranged that it permits flexibility of the foremost portion of the foot with respect thereto as necessary in walking and at the same time the spring strip 11 conforms to the shape of the heel and permits the flexibility of the ankle joint necessary in walking while simultaneously resiliently resisting any tendency of the ankle to be misplaced.

It will thus be understood that the arch support plate extends from the back of the heel to a point beneath the foot corresponding with the ball of the foot and in such position holds that portion of the foot in proper relation while permitting the necessary flexibility of the portion of the foot forward of the ball of the foot.

It will thus be seen that the several objects of the in vention have been met by the drop toe and ankle support brace disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A drop. foot brace comprising a rigid archsupport plate for disposition beneath the foot of the wearer and having. a spring strip secured to the heel portion thereof and extending upwardly thereabove and an ankle support brace comprising a U-shaped member secured to the top of said spring strip, separate flexible elastic. and non elastic fastening members secured to the arch support plate, the spring strip and U-shaped member for encircling a wearers foot and ankle. positioned on said brace.

2. The drop foot brace set forth in claim 1 and wherein one of the fastening members comprises an elastic band having its ends secured to the opposite sides of the forward portion of the arch support plate.

3. The drop foot brace set forth in claim 1 wherein one of the fastenings comprises a U-shaped strap secured to the spring strip midway between the upper and lower ends thereof and having its opposite ends crossed and secured to the opposite sides of the forward portion of said arch support plate.

4. A drop foot brace comprising a rigid arch support plate having an upwardly and outwardly bowed spring strip secured to the heel portion thereof, the upper end of the spring strip having U-shaped sidewardly and forwardly positioned extensions for partially encircling the ankle above a foot positioned partially on said arch support plate with the heel adjacent the spring strip, leatherlike material enclosing said arch support plate, spring 5 strip and U-shaped sidewardly and forwardly positioned extension thereof and ties secured to the opposite sides of the arch support plate, the spring strip and the U- shaped sidewardly and forwardly positioned extensions thereof for securing said device to the ankle and foot. 10 5. The drop foot brace set forth in claim 4 wherein one of the ties is positioned on the forward portion of the arch support plate and incorporates an elastic member engageable across the foot above the ball thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent OTHER REFERENCES Braces Today, published by the Pope Foundation, Inc.,

25 Kankakee, 111., September 1948, page 2.

Orthopaedic Appliances Atlas, Edwards, Ann Arbor, Mich. (1952), vol. 1; p. 431, Fig. 714; p. 504, Fig. 856. 

